Selective-transfer printing machine

ABSTRACT

The rotation and printing control devices of the plate-carrying cylinder, as well as the means actuating the pincers, each comprise an electromagnetic arrangement placed under the control of an electronic matrix connected, on the one hand, to a bank of electric switches which are manually selectable, and, on the other hand, to a photoelectric exploration system for a reference code of the angular positions of the plate-carrying cylinder corresponding to the lines of a plate mounted on the said cylinder, this code being connected to the plate-carrying cylinder and preferably integral with it.

United States Patent v Inventor Nicolas Gretchikhine Paris, France Appl. No. 787,531 Filed Dec. 27, 1968 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Assignee Soclete Ormig Priority Dec. 29, 1967 France 134.237

SELECTIVE-TRANSFER rnm'rmo MACHINE 1 cmm,snmi- Figs.

u.s. Cl 101/91 1m. 0| 841147/46,

' 1341147/58 FicldotSeu-ch 101/91,92

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,536,276 1/ 1951 Gretchikhine 101/91 2,815,711 12/1957 Ritzerfeld et a1. 101/91 2,860,574 11/1958 Ritzerfeld et a1. 101/91 3,170,391 2/1965 Ritzerfeld et a1. 101/91 Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Attorneyl-1olman & Stern ABSTRACT: The rotation and printing control devices of the plate-carrying cylinder, as well as the means actuating the pincers, each comprise an electromagnetic arrangement placed under the control of an electronic matrix connected, on the one hand, to a bank of electric switches which are manually selectable, and, on the other hand, to a photoelectric exploration system for a reference code of the angular positions of the plate-carrying cylinder corresponding to the lines of a plate mounted on the said cylinder, this code being connected to the plate-carrying cylinder and preferably integral with it.

PATENTEDUET 19 ISTI SHEET 1 BF 3 Niven/10R line-transfer, of the type comprisinga" support table for the sheet of paper.to*be-printed;.a rotary plate-carrying cylinder which can, when actuated by; rinting control means, press" against a sheet of paperplace'd on'the tablea'nd' temporarily maintained stationary, for printing aline'; andwhichc'an' then move-away from'pthe'said sheet; a rotaryco'ntrol rneansfor the plate cylinder; gripping pin'ce'rs'Tor mo'vingthesheetof paper alongthe table-synchronized withthe-rotary movement of the plate-carryingrcylinder and provided" with control means for opening and closingsuch pincers; and means selecting theangular' position of-'the*plate-carrying cylinder, for printing any desired line.

In pr'esen'tmachines of this type,-tlie' means of selecting-fthe line to be printed are mechanical or electromagnetic. Theobject of the invention isto provide a machine inwhich these selection means are based on electronic ele'rnents'whose compact form vand feasibility make the said machine 1 one of modern conception.

To this end, according to the invention, the control-means for the plate cylinder, and the actuating means forthepincers, each comprise an electromagnetic device controlled by an electronic matrix connected on the one hand to abank of manually selectable electric switches, and, on the other hand, to a photoelectric system'of explorationofa reference code for the angular positions of the' plat'e-carryingcylinder, corresponding to the lines of a plate mounted on the said cylinder, this'codebeiiig formed by a disc'integral with the plate-carrier.

The invention will be better understood onperusal of the following description, with reference to the annexed-drawings, which showdiagrammatically, and byway of example, an embodiment of a selective-transfer printing machine according to the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective overall view of the machine;

FlGS. 2A and 2B, juxtaposed alongli'ne MN, together form an electricallayout of the machine's control system;

FIG. 3 is a-partia l front elevation of the code;-and

F IG. 4 shows a-detail of FIG. LA on a larger scale.

Numerous featuresand mechanical elements of the present selective-transfer printing machine are well known in the art, and specificallyhave'been described in detail in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,276 entitled Selective Bed and Cylinder Printing Machine, the present invention being an improvement over the device described therein. Accordingly, only the novel features of the controlsystem of my present invention, as well as such known features as are necessary to an understanding of its construction and operation, are specifically described in detail herein below, the remainder of suchknown structure being incorporated by reference to my above-noted prior patent.

Suffice it to say that the selective-transfer printing machine known to the art comprises, inter alia, means for selecting the individual line or lines to be printed, means operated by the selecting means for stopping and locking the printing cylinder in the angular position corresponding I to the selected line, means for effecting radial movement of the printing cylinder towards and away from the sheet of paper or the like being imprinted to thus effect the imprinting operation of the selected line, and means to resume rotation of the printing cylinder for selecting a subsequent line of printing.

The selective-transfer printing machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises substantially a table 101, a rotary plate-carrying cylinder 102, pincers 103 holding the paper sheet for printing,

and a manual-control console 104.

The plate-cylinder 102 is integral with an arbor 100 (cf. also FIG. 4), which rotates in two bearings such as 107, at both its ends, each said bearing being equipped with a ball-race 108, and mounted in a vertically sliding fashion in two vertical guides 111, 112 respectively, integral with table 101. g

The arbor 100 on which is fixed the plate-cylinder is rotated by any suitable conventional control and drive system, controlled by an electromagnetic clutchmeans'denoted by in FIG. 2B, and'by abrake 116. The sliding motion of'this arbor in the two vertical supports 1'11, 112 is ensured both by a suitable conventional control and drive system, which is placed-under the control ofan impression electromagnet'118 (FlG.2B),a'nd which comprises a rotary arbor 119. Finally, the pincers 103 can slide on table 101, in an orthogonal direction, relative to arbor 100 of the plate-cylinder, in

synchronization withthe rotarymovement of the said cylinder, likewise under the influence of a suitable conventional control system (not shown). The opening and closing movements of pincers 1'03, in order to grip or release a sheet of'paper,-are mechanically'actuated. The retreat movement'of the pincers in order to being back the document in front of the operator after printing the selected lines, is controlled by an electromagnet 121 (FIG. 2B).

In the example shown, it has been presumed that the cylinder 102' is designed to receive plates comprising up to 36 lines. On the arbor 100 of thesaid cylinder there is wedgeda cam 124 with 46 teeth.

The selector meansfor the lines onthe' plate comprise a logic circuit means defining an electronic matrix having a grid or treelike arrangement denoted in its entirety by 126, so as to avoid any error during the transition from one angular position to another. This matrix is connected on the one hand to themanual'selector keyboard 104 and, onthe other hand, to a detector system-127 with photosensitive elements (FIGS. 2A and 4) associated with a code 128 (cf. also FIG. 3), carried by a disc 129'fixed on thearbor 100 of the plate-carrying cylinder (cf. also FIG. 4). This code has several (six in the example) radially spaced annular tracks in binary code, preferably of the Gray type, allowing each of the 46 angular positions of the plate-carrying cylinder to'be'identified, and, in particular, the 39 positions corresponding to the 38+] lines capable of being selectively printed (there are 38 lines on the plate plusan obliterator on the cylinder). FIG. 3 shows the code read by detector system l27'when the plate-carrying cylinder is in the position for printing the 13th line. Code 128 comprises a plurality of openings or transparent points such as 128-1 or 128-4 through which the-beam of a lamp with an elongated filament 131 can actuate one'or more of the six corresponding photosensitive elements 127-1, l27-2.....1276, which are for example photodiodes or photoresistant cells.

Each of the six cells 127-1 to 127-6 controls an electronic bistable flip-flop such as 133-4 and 133-1 which correspond to the two cells 127-4 and 127-1 which read the tracks of code 128, corresponding to the impression of the l3 line on a sheet of paper.

Each flip-flop, e.g. 133-1, comprises two outputs 133A and 1338 connected to corresponding input 134A and 1348 of matrix 126, which thus comprises 12 inputs. The other inputs of the matrix have been indicated respectively by BSA-135B, 136-1368, 137A-137B, 138A-138B, and 139A-139B.

The keyboard 104 comprises as many selector keys as there are lines capable of being printed, i.e. 39. In FIG. 2B, selector control key 141-13 for the 13th line of the plate has been indicated. This key is urged towards its upper inactive position by a return spring 142 and it can be kept in the active position by a locking pawl 143 cooperating with a catch 144 integral with the stem of the said key. Hocking pawl 143 is urged towards its position retaining the key by a spring 145, and it can be removed from this position by another catch 146 carried by a releasing bar 147. Thus as many keys may be depressed as there are lines which it is desired to print, and these keys remain locked in the active position as long as the locking-bars, such as 147, which are all interconnected, do not bring about their disengagement.

Each key, such as 141-13, actuates an inverter or doublepole switch such as 151-13, a switch such as 152-13 and another switch such as 153-13, which supplies a pilot lamp. 154-13. The central contacts of all the inverters such as 151-13 are connected to the corresponding outputs, such as 157-13, of the matrix.

The upper contract, such as 158-13, of each inverter is connected to the control circuit 159 of electromagnet 115 controlling the driving connection between the printing cylinder and its motor, as well as to the upper contact of the corresponding switch 152-13, and to the lower contact of the switch controlled by the selector key of the preceding line. The lower contact such as 156-13 of each inverter is connected to the control circuit 115 of the electromagnet 118 for controlling the printing. The lower contact of switch 152-39 of the last line is connected to the control circuit 161 for the electromagnet 121 actuating the pincers.

The power supply for the matrix 126 is effected via contacts 164 of a step relay controlled by a manual control button 166. The step relay 165 comprises a retaining contact 167 itself supplied via the contact 168 of a stop relay 169 whose coil is supplied by the last output 157-40 of the matrix.

The electromagnetic clutch means 115 for the plate-carrying cylinder is also subjected, through the intennediary of a rocker 172, to the action of a contract 173 cyclically actuated by a cam 174 fixed on the arbor 119 belonging to the printing control system, as well as of a contact 176 actuated by a roller 177 cooperating with the cam 124, which has 46 teeth.

The machine functions as follows:

When the machine is in the active state, or under current, those of the keys 141-1 to 141-39 corresponding to the lines which it is desired to print on a sheet of paper are depressed. The plate-carrying cylinder is stopped, none of the six cells 127-1 to 127-6 being illuminated in this stopped position, so that only the outputs such as 1338 of the cell amplifiers are conductive. The supply for the decoding matrix is cut off by the open contact 164 of the step relay 165.

The pushbutton step" 166 is depressed, the step relay 65 is actuated and is held by means of its autoretaining contact 167, whose circuit passed through the closed contact 168 of the stop relay 169. The closure of contact 164 of the step relay puts the decoding matrix 126 under current. The circuits, such as 1338 of the cell amplifiers then close, passing through the resistances 170-1 to 170-40 of the matrix. All paths save the first are then closed, the power at the entry to paths 2 to 40 being greater than that of the bases of the transistors of the movement-controlling amplifiers.

if the first line has not been selected the corresponding inverter 151-1 is in the rest position shown in the diagram; the rotation-control circuit 159 is then closed by the contact 158-1 of the inverter and the first path of the matrix.

THe electromagnetic clutch means 115 of the coupling controlling the rotation is actuated, and cylinder 102 turns, carrying with it code 128; after an angular displacement of the cylinder and of the code, by an angle equal to the angular interval separating two lines of the plate, the code changes; cell 127-1 is illuminated, output 133A of its amplifier becomes conductive, resulting in the blocking of path 1; on the other hand path 2, previously blocked by output 1338, is opened; the rotation-control circuit then passes through contact 158-2 of the corresponding inverter to key 141-2 of the second line (if this one has not been selected), and through path 2 of the matrix.

The rotation of the cylinder progresses in this way, the successive paths of the matrix being opened one after the other, then closed at each change in the code.

if the 13th line, for example, has been selected, the corresponding inverter 151-13 is in the position shown in the diagram, the rotation circuit is cut off by contact 158-13 and the printing circuit closed by contact 156-13. When the code is positioned at the 13th line, cells 127-1 and 127-4 alone will be illuminated; the outputs such as 133B of the two corresponding amplifiers will not longer be conductive, so that path 13 opens; the rotation circuit being cut by contact 158-13 of the inverter corresponding to the 13th line, the rotation of cylinder 102 stops; on the other hand, the printing circuit is supplied through contact 156-13 and path 13.

THe electromagnet 118 controlling the printing mechanism is actuated, and cylinder 102 drops to print the 13th line on the sheet of paper which is at that moment stationary, since pincers 103 move on the table in a synchronous fashion with the movement of rotation of the plate-carrying cylinder. This machine allows simultaneous printing on several superimposed sheets separated by sheets of carbon paper, or equivalent layers.

After printing, the cylinder is again rotated by the rocker controlled by contact 173, closed by cam 174 mounted on the printing-control arbor. The exploration of the paths is then resumed by the reading-system for code 128, which is once more in rotation.

When the last path 40 is open, the stop relay 169 is actuated; its contact 168 opens and cuts off the retaining circuit of the step relay the latter, returning to the rest position, cuts off the supply to the matrix for the opening of its contact 164; cylinder 102 then stops on the following path, and a delay brought about by a condenser 181 and a resistance 182, connected in series at the limits of step relay 165, ensures the continuation of the movement of the cylinder from the 40th path to the first.

The pincer-control circuit 161 is supplied in parallel with the rotation-control circuit as soon as the last line selected has been printed. This is obtained by setting in series contacts 152-1 to 152-39 corresponding to each key; if a single one of these contacts is open, i.e. if one single line is selected, the pincer circuit will only be supplied once the matrix path corresponding to the line following the selected line is open.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given by way of example; numerous modifications can be applied, depending on the application envisaged, without, however, going beyond the scope of the appended claim. Thus, for example, the reading device might be fixed, if the exploration begins only after the complete return of the reprinting cylinder to its raised position.

1 claim:

1. In a printing machine having a table for supporting a sheet of paper to be printed, actuatable means for gripping and holding the sheet and movably mounted with respect to the table for advancing a sheet held thereby, a rotatable printing cylinder carrying a plate having a number of lines of type disposed circumferentially about said cylinder, a rotation control device including clutch means for transmitting driving torque from a motor to said cylinder, a printing control means for causing said cylinder to move into printing contact with said sheet while said sheet is temporarily held stationary by said gripping means and while said clutch means is inoperative, means for controlling the angular position of said cylinder to bring a selected line of said number of lines of type into printing position, the improvement comprising a first electromagnet adapted to actuate said clutch means, said printing control means comprising a second electromagnet, and a third electromagnet adapted to actuate said gripping means, said means for controlling the angular position of said cylinder including a logic circuit means defining an electronic matrix arrangement having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said outputs being respectively connected to and adapted to energize said three electromagnets, a manually operable keyboard of switches connected to respective inputs of said matrix for selecting desired lines of type for printing, a disc member drivingly connected with the cylinder for rotation therewith and carrying a reference code means, and a photoelectric detector system for sensing said reference code means to identify the actual angular position of the cylinder, said detector system being connected to one of said inputs of said logic circuit means, said logic circuit means comparing said inputs from said detector system and said keyboard of switches to generate said outputs to thereby energize said three electromagnets, whereby said gripping means will hold the sheet stationary, said cylinder will be stopped with said selected line of type in printing position, and said printing control means will move said cylinder into printing engagement with the sheet. 

1. In a printing machine having a table for supporting a sheet of paper to be printed, actuatable means for gripping and holding the sheet and movably mounted with respect to the table for advancing a sheet held thereby, a rotatable printing cylinder carrying a plate having a number of lines of type disposed circumferentially about said cylinder, a rotation control device including clutch means for transmitting driving torque from a motor to said cylinder, a printing control means for causing said cylinder to move into printing contact with said sheet while said sheet is temporarily held stationary by said gripping means and while said clutch means is inoperative, means for controlling the angular position of said cylinder to bring a selected line of said number of lines of type into printing position, the improvement comprising a first electromagnet adapted to actuate said clutch means, said printing control means comprising a second electromagnet, and a third electromagnet adapted to actuate said gripping means, said means for controlling the angular position of said cylinder including a logic circuit means defining an electronic matrix arrangement having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said outputs being respectively connected to and adapted to energize said three electromagnets, a manually operable keyboard of switches connected to respective inputs of said matrix for selecting desired lines of type for printing, a disc member drivingly connected with the cylinder for rotation therewith and carrying a reference code means, and a photoelectric detector system for sensing said reference code means to identify the actual angular position of the cylinder, said detector system being connected to one of said inputs of said logic circuit means, said logic circuit means comparing said inputs from said detector system and said keyboard of switches to generate said outputs to thereby energize said three electromagnets, whereby said gripping means will hold the sheet stationary, said cylinder will be stopped with said selected line of type in printing position, and said printing control means will move said cylinder into printing engagement with the sheet. 